Pourable dessert liquid product

ABSTRACT

A pourable dessert liquid product comprising a protein source; fat; sweetener; stabilizer; flavoring agent; and emulsifier.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The invention is directed to a pourable dessert liquid productcomprising a dairy or non-dairy protein source, fat, sweetener,stabilizer, emulsifier, and a flavoring agent.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] Mixtures of dairy components for incorporation into food productsare known in the food industry. These food products include nutritiousdrink mixes and dessert cakes such as a sponge cake soaked with a blendof three milks and then decorated with a topping. One such dessertproduct is marketed under the trade name known as “Tres Leches.” Thedairy mix for such dessert products is prepared through laboriouslyblending three milk products, i.e., whole milk, sweetened condensedmilk, and evaporated milk. However, such dairy mixes are difficult toprepare and require maintaining fresh inventory of the separatecomponents, leading to storage and sanitary problems.

[0003] It is an object of this invention to provide a pourable dessertliquid product for use in food products, which provides the creaminess,consistency and the traditional flavor of the above-described foodproducts. It is another object of this invention to provide a pourabledessert liquid product that it is ready to use, does not requirelaboriously mixing different milks and thus provides a more sanitaryoperation, and reduces metal contamination due to the elimination ofextraneous product casings. In addition, it is a further object of thisinvention to provide a base product that can be flavored by variousflavoring agents and provides nutritional advantage, e.g., that may beformulated to have no animal fat or cholesterol but still maintainscomparable levels of protein to those of the dairy equivalents. It isyet another object of this invention to provide a single pourabledessert liquid product which may be either dairy or non-dairy, isfreezable, is consistent in quality and overall improves the sanitaryand keeping quality since only a single liquid is used with no exposureto contamination as in the case of mixing three separate milks.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0004] The above-stated objectives and others are achieved by a pourabledessert liquid product comprising a dairy or non-dairy protein source,fat, sweetener, stabilizer, emulsifier and a flavoring agent.

[0005] The amount of the dairy or non-dairy protein source should beabout 2 weight % to about 20 weight % of the product, preferably about 4weight % to about 12 weight %. Examples of dairy protein source includedried skim milk, whey protein, and milk protein concentrate; examples ofnon-dairy protein source include caseinate and vegetable protein sourcessuch as soy protein isolate, soy protein concentrate, and the like.Preferred protein sources include dried skim milk and caseinate.

[0006] The amount of fat in the product should be about 1 weight % toabout 15 weight %, preferably about 4 weight % to about 12 weight %.Examples of fats include vegetable oils such as soy bean oil, sunfloweroil, canola oil, modified canola oil, palm kernal oil, coconut oil,dairy fats, dairy cremes and the like. Preferred fats include vegetableoil, palm kernal oil and coconut oil.

[0007] The amount of sweetener should be about 4 weight % to about 35weight % of the product, preferably about 10 weight % to about 25 weight%. Examples of sweeteners include sucrose, corn syrup including dextroseand high fructose corn syrup, artificial sweeteners, low or no caloriesweeteners, and the like. Preferred sweeteners include sucrose and cornsyrup.

[0008] The amount of stabilizer should be about 0.01 weight % to about2.0 weight % of the product, preferably about 0.01 weight % to about 1.0weight %. Examples of stabilizers include carrageenan, guar gum, locustbean gum, xanthan gum, cellulose, modified cellulose, hydrocolloids, andthe like. Preferred stabilizers include carrageenan.

[0009] The amount of flavoring agent should be about 0.1 weight % toabout 2.0 weight % of the product, preferably about 0.2 weight % toabout 0.6 weight %. Examples of flavoring agents include conventionalflavoring agents such as condensed milk, vanilla, kahlua, coffee, mocha,raspberry, strawberry, citrus, fruit, liqueur flavor and the like.Preferred flavoring agents include condensed milk and vanilla.

[0010] The amount of emulsifier should be about 0.1 weight % to about2.0 weight % of the product, preferably about 0.05 weight % to about 1weight %. Examples of conventional emulsifiers include polysorbate suchas polysorbate 60 and polysorbate 80, sodium stearyl lactylate, calciumstearyl lactylate, monoglyceride, diglyceride, hexaglycal distearyte,and the like. Preferred ingredients include polysorbate, mono ordiglycerides and sodium stearyl lactylate.

[0011] It is contemplated that the pourable dessert liquid product maybe incorporated into various types of other appropriate food products,such as dessert cakes, ready-to-use nutritious beverages, and any foodproducts where condensed and/or evaporated milk is called for, such asfrench toast flavor, pudding, custards including extra rich custards,creme caramel, creme brulee, and the like. The pourable dessert liquidproduct may be mixed with various foods, liquids or flavorings,including eggs, cinnamon, coffee, cappuccino, coffee liqueur, coconut,nuts, chocolate, rum, and flavored mixes such as margarita, daiquiri,and pina colada. The food product may further comprise fruit or fruittoppings, such as strawberries, peaches, pineapples, mangoes and thelike, or fruit products, such as conserves, marmalade and the like. Thefood product may also comprise a topping, including dairy or non-diarywhipped toppings such as Better Creme®, Rich Whip® and/or On Top®, nutssuch as hazelnut, coconut, cinnamon and chocolate. Dessert cakescontaining the pourable dessert liquid product may be prepared bysoaking a suitable cake with an appropriate amount by weight of thepourable dessert liquid mix; e.g., the dessert cake may be soaked withthe pourable dessert liquid to provide a soaked cake product. Suitablecakes include but are not limited to sponge cakes, layer cakes, sheetcakes, half sheet, and quarter sheet cakes. The weight ratio of the caketo liquid ranges from 1:1 to 1:2.5 cake to liquid weight, mostpreferably 1:1 to 1:1.5.

[0012] The food product may be manufactured and/or packaged in group orsingle portions. The food product may be frozen, stored, distributed,and thawed for subsequent consumption.

[0013] The pourable dessert liquid product may be prepared byconventional methods, including regular pasteurization (LTLT, HTST),Extended Shelf Life (ESL), Ultra High Temperature (UHT) and in-containersterilization.

[0014] In one embodiment, a dry blend of materials is preparedcomprising the dairy or non-dairy protein source, stabilizer, emulsifierand optional dry sweeteners. An aqueous solution comprising the dryblend added to water having a temperature between about 160 and 180° F.is prepared. Liquid sweetener may be added at this time, followed by fatand flavor components at some point during the process. The heatedsolution is agitated and allowed to stand between 3 and 10 minutes atthis temperature. Certain types of processing may require other time andtemperature amounts, such as HTST 160-180° F. for 15 to 20 seconds toprovide a product which can be distributed frozen; ESL 257-280° F. for 2to 4 seconds to provide an extended shelf life product that can bestored at refrigerated temperature; Direct or Indirect UHT 286 to 292°F. for 2 to 4 seconds to provide a product which can be distributed atambient temperature. The aqueous solution is then homogenized betweenabout 500 and 2500 psi. The solution is cooled to about 33 to 45° F. Theresulting product may then be packaged and frozen, refrigerated orstored at room temperature depending on the process used to make theproduct.

[0015] Non-limiting examples of the invention are provided below.EXAMPLE 1 Formulation of Non-Dairy Pourable Dessert Liquid MixIngredient Formulation Usage/lb Mixing procedure Water 42.00 4200.00Meter in hot water (120-150° F.) Drew Pone 60 0.20 20.00 Add Drew ponePremix  0.00 Sodium Caseinate 3.00 300.00  Add premix and disperse SaltRegular 0.04  4.00 Start heating to 165° F. Dipotassium Phosphate 0.3030.00 Sodium Acid Phosphate 0.02  2.00 Emplex (Flakes) 0.00  0.00 Mono &Diglycerides 0.30 30.00 Cir Beta Carotene Dry 0.0005  0.05 Carrageenan0.0300  3.00 Guar Gum 0.0000  0.00 Sugar granulated 9.00 900.00   0.00Corn Syrup 36DE/43 28.00 2800.00  Meter in Corn syrup Dextrose 0.00 0.00 and hold at 165° F. for 5 minutes Water 8.89 889.00  Add coldwater Oil Palm Kernel 8.00 800.00  Add palm oil Cond. Milk Flvr 0.2020.00 Add the flavors Vanilla shade 0.02  2.00 Homogenize at 500/2500psi Total per formula 100.00 10000.05   Cool to 33 to 41° F.

[0016] EXAMPLE 2 Formulation of Diary Pourable Dessert Liquid ProductIngredient Formulation Usage/lb Mixing procedure Water 42.00 2100.00Meter in hot water (120-150° F.) Drew Pone 60 0.20 10.00 Add Drew ponePremix 0.00 Non Fat Dry Milk 8.00 400.00 Add premix and disperse SaltRegular 0.04 2.00 Start heating to 165° F. Dipotassium Phosphate 0.3015.00 Sodium Acid Phosphate 0.02 1.00 Mono & Diglycerides 0.30 15.00 CirBeta Carotene Dry 0.0005 0.03 Carrageenan 0.0300 1.50 Sugar granulated14.00 700.00 Corn Syrup 36DE/43 5.00 250.00 Meter in Corn syrup and holdat 165° F. for 5 minutes Water 21.70 1085.23 Add cold water Palm OilKernel 8.00 400.00 Add palm oil Cond. Milk Flvr 0.30 30.00 Add theflavors Vanilla shade 0.01 .25 Homogenize at 500/2500 psi Total performula 100.00 5000.00 Cool to 33 to 41° F.

1. A pourable dessert liquid product comprising: about 2 to 20 wt % of aprotein source; about 1 to 15 wt % of fat; about 4 to 35 wt % ofsweetener; about 0.01 to 2 wt % of stabilizer; about 0.1 to 2.0 wt % offlavoring agent; and about 0.1 to 2 wt % of emulsifier.
 2. The pourabledessert liquid product of claim 1 , wherein said protein source is adairy protein source.
 3. The pourable dessert liquid product of claim 2, wherein said dairy protein source is dried skim milk or milk proteinconcentrate.
 4. The pourable dessert liquid product of claim 1 , whereinsaid protein source is a non-dairy protein source.
 5. The pourabledessert liquid product of claim 4 , wherein said non-dairy proteinsource is caseinate or vegetable protein.
 6. The pourable dessert liquidproduct of claim 1 , wherein said fat is vegetable oil, sunflower oil,canola oil, modified canola oil, palm kernel oil, coconut oil, or dairycreme.
 7. The pourable dessert liquid product of claim 1 , wherein saidsweetener is sucrose, corn syrup, artificial sweeteners, low caloriesweeteners, or no-calorie sweeteners.
 8. The pourable dessert liquidproduct of claim 1 , wherein said stabilizer is carrageenan, guar gum,locust bean gum, xanthan gum, cellulose, or hydrocolloid.
 9. Thepourable dessert liquid product of claim 1 , wherein said flavoringagent is condensed milk, vanilla, kahlua, coffee, mocha, raspberry,strawberry, citrus, fruit, or liqueur flavor.
 10. The pourable dessertliquid product of claim 1 , wherein said emulsifier is polysorbate,sodium stearyl lactylate, calcium stearyl lactylate, monoglyceride,diglyceride, or hexaglycal disteartye.
 11. A food product comprising apourable dessert liquid product comprising: about 2 to 20 wt % of aprotein source; about 1 to 15 wt % of fat; about 4 to 35 wt % ofsweetener; about 0.01 to 2 wt % of stabilizer; about 0.1 to 2.0 wt % offlavoring agent; and about 0.1 to 2 wt % of emulsifier.
 12. The foodproduct of claim 11 , further comprising a cake and wherein said cakeand said pourable liquid dessert product are present in a ratio of 1:1to 1:2.5.
 13. The food product of claim 12 , further comprising at leastone of fruit, whipped topping, conserves, and marmalades.
 14. The foodproduct of claims 11-13, wherein said food product is frozen.
 15. Thefood product of claim 14 , wherein said food product comprises custards,light custards, creme caramel, or creme brulee.